I Can Do That

After a tragic accident that left him paralyzed, Rabbi Yehuda Simes inspires others to tackle life’s challenges.

If Passover cleaning has you down, you should really meet Rabbi Yehuda Simes. Three years ago, Rabbi Simes, a beloved teacher at Ottawa Hillel Academy was driving with his wife and seven of his eight children at the time when a deer appeared in the middle of the road suddenly. (Click here to read a full account.) Rabbi Simes’ wife swerved to avoid the animal, causing the family van to spiral out of control. Miraculously, none of the children or Rabbi Simes’ pregnant wife Shaindel were seriously hurt. Tragically, Rabbi Simes was left paralyzed. “I must have crushed my spinal cord,” Rabbi Simes recalls.

For the past three years, Rabbi Simes has remained in Ottawa Canada, focusing on his physical rehabilitation and helping his family adjust to the “new normal.” But now he is ready to make a step in a new direction – inspiring others, or in other words, “rehabilitating” their faith.

The Passover season gives people the ability to break out of their own personal slavery.

“I got a phone call from Rabbi Sholom Hirsch Adler,” Rabbi Simes recalls, referring to the Kashrus Administrator of COR-Kashruth Council of Canada, Canada’s largest kosher certifier. “Rabbi Adler asked me to come to Toronto and speak at COR’s annual Pre Pesach lecture. I was honored, but physically, I said that it was just not possible.”

COR began making arrangements for Rabbi Simes to appear via a live video hookup. But if the Passover season gives people an ability to break out of their own personal slavery, then Rabbi Simes tapped into that strength. “The next morning Rabbi Simes called me,” Rabbi Adler relates, “And said, ‘Rabbi Adler, I’m coming.’”

The trip for Rabbi Simes was arduous. He had to travel in his specially equipped van with two attendants. He needed to stay in a special hotel room with a hospital bed and a hoist. “But it was all worth it,” Rabbi Simes recalls.

Over three hundred captivated attendees listened as Rabbi Simes recounted the details of the harrowing accident and the weeks and months that followed. “In an instant, my life, my family’s life, was turned completely upside down.”

His wife Shaindel gave birth a few months later. “I was wheeled into the room and they gave me the baby… it was just a river of tears.”

Rabbi Simes has had both challenges and victories adapting to his new life. He had to learn anew how to breathe and swallow. “I’ve come to appreciate the blessing of swallowing,” he relates. Indeed, the first time after the accident that he was able to swallow by himself, his family brought him a Slurpee, his favorite, and they all danced in celebration.

As a few years have passed, Rabbi Simes has had time to reflect on his “accident” – although he does not view it that way. “I don’t look at it as an accident at all,” Rabbi Simes told the audience. Instead, he views what happened to him as an opportunity. An opportunity to inspire people with his story and remarkably, to strengthen his faith.

“I’ve always had faith,” Rabbi Simes recounted. “I understood things fairly deeply after studying for many years…. I may have understood it before, but to really know it now, I’ve grown immeasurably. It’s not a trauma at all. I’ve grown in my understanding of how God’s help was what I personally needed to meet my challenges, and that’s true of every single person on the face of this planet. “

One of the audience members asked Rabbi Simes a seemingly awkward question. “Is there hope for the future with respect to any recovery?” Rabbi Simes seemed taken aback by the question – the strain showed on his face. The rest of the audience felt the tension. “What does that mean, ‘is there hope for the future?’” he asked rhetorically. “Of course there is hope! It’s not hope; it’s certainty that I will be able to live my life to the fullest potential, whatever that means.”

The Hagaddah writes that each person must see himself as if he personally left the slavery in Egypt. For Rabbi Simes, it is no different. While he may be enslaved in his body, his soul is free. “Today I am experiencing pure freedom.”

Rabbi Simes concluded by telling the story of the splitting of the Red Sea. With the Egyptian army approaching, the Jews were trapped. They were afraid. Their brief encounter with freedom appeared to be coming to an end. Until one man, Nachshon, the son of Aminadav, had the courage to begin walking into the water. He continued until the water was up to his chin, and only then did the sea split. “Only Nachshon looked life in the face and said ‘I can do that.’”

Rabbi Simes’ faith in God has given him the strength to say “I can do that.” “There was never a doubt about my faith. I was sure, I am sure, and I will be sure that everything that happened is for a purpose. There is a reason for everything.”

Every day since his accident, Rabbi Simes’ faith has given him the ability look life in the face and say, “I can do that.” This Passover, he wants you to say “I can do that” too.

About the Author

Visitor Comments: 8

(6)
Chana,
October 24, 2013 10:52 PM

Wow!

I can tell Rabbi Simes is an amazing person! One of his daughters was in my bunk in camp and she has a awesome veiw in life. She never sits still for a moment and does not allow anything to top her. She is your normal, average girl who went through an extraordinary challange and grew. May Hashem allow Rabbi SImes and his family spread the message of living life to the fullest!

(5)
Anonymous,
March 29, 2013 2:36 AM

Brilliant, inspsiring and uplifting story.

Such an inspiring story. thank you for sharing with us, May Hashem give you even more strength.

nissim,
March 31, 2013 10:22 PM

May H.K.B.H heal you very soon and bless your family. Refouah shlema

(4)
Tammy,
March 28, 2013 9:36 PM

Through it all

I thank God for the mountainsAnd I thank Him for the valleysI thank Him for the storms He's brought me throughCause if I never had a problemI wouldn't know that He could solve themI wouldn't know what faith in His Word could do. Through it all I've learned to depend upon His word.

(3)
Elias Ghosalkar,
March 28, 2013 4:00 PM

Truly inspirational

Thank you for this article...I believe Rabbi Simes' story will help many souls find the strength and courage to face their own personal challenges with the right attitude and most importantly with unwavering faith in Hashem. Everything that happens to us all is only for the good...we only need to have the good sense to realize this.....its all about our soul's upliftment..which is what we ignore most of the time. And all i want to say is may Hashem in his infinite wisdom and mercy bring about a miracle in the lives of his trusted followers like Rabbi Simes. May he and his entire family be blessed with only good news in the years to come. Amen

(2)
Anonymous,
March 20, 2013 1:39 PM

Hes superman! His strength and motivation is an inspiration.Thank you for sharing his story!

(1)
C.D.Urbach,
March 19, 2013 10:06 PM

A beautiful story told over beautifully

I don't cry easily, but this article...WOW. Thank you for a super-dose of pride in our people!

Blumenthal family,
March 20, 2013 7:14 PM

We live in Queens and have had you on our tehilim list for a long time. May you and your family shep nachas from your children

I live in rural Montana where the Cholov Yisrael milk is difficult to obtain and very expensive. So I drink regular milk. What is your view on this?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Jewish law requires that there be rabbinic supervision during the milking process to ensure that the milk comes from a kosher animal. In the United States, many people rely on the Department of Agriculture's regulations and controls as sufficiently stringent to fulfill the rabbinic requirement for supervision.

Most of the major Kashrut organizations in the United States rely on this as well. You will therefore find many kosher products in America certified with a 'D' next to the kosher symbol. Such products – unless otherwise specified on the label – are not Cholov Yisrael and are assumed kosher based on the DOA's guarantee.

There are many, however, do not rely on this, and will eat only dairy products that are designated as Cholov Yisrael (literally, "Jewish milk"). This is particularly true in large Jewish communities, where Cholov Yisrael is widely available.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein wrote that under limited conditions, such as an institution which consumes a lot of milk and Cholov Yisrael is generally unavailable or especially expensive, American milk is acceptable, as the government supervision is adequate to prevent non-kosher ingredients from being added.

It should be added that the above only applies to milk itself, which is marketed as pure cow's milk. All other dairy products, such as cheeses and butter, may contain non-kosher ingredients and always require kosher certification. In addition, Rabbi Feinstein's ruling applies only in the United States, where government regulations are considered reliable. In other parts of the world, including Europe, Cholov Yisrael is a requirement.

There are additional esoteric reasons for being stringent regarding Cholov Yisrael, and because of this it is generally advisable to consume only Cholov Yisroel dairy foods.

In 1889, 800 Jews arrived in Buenos Aires, marking the birth of the modern Jewish community in Argentina. These immigrants were fleeing poverty and pogroms in Russia, and moved to Argentina because of its open door policy of immigration. By 1920, more than 150,000 Jews were living in Argentina. Juan Peron's rise to power in 1946 was an ominous sign, as he was a Nazi sympathizer with fascist leanings. Peron halted Jewish immigration to Argentina, introduced mandatory Catholic religious instruction in public schools, and allowed Argentina to become a haven for fleeing Nazis. (In 1960, Israeli agents abducted Adolf Eichmann from a Buenos Aires suburb.) Today, Argentina has the largest Jewish community in Latin America with 250,000, though terror attacks have prompted many young people to emigrate. In 1992, the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 32 people. In 1994, the Jewish community headquarters in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 85 people. The perpetrators have never been apprehended.

Be aware of what situations and behaviors give you pleasure. When you feel excessively sad and cannot change your attitude, make a conscious effort to take some action that might alleviate your sadness.

If you anticipate feeling sad, prepare a list of things that might make you feel better. It could be talking to a specific enthusiastic individual, running, taking a walk in a quiet area, looking at pictures of family, listening to music, or reading inspiring words.

While our attitude is a major factor in sadness, lack of positive external situations and events play an important role in how we feel.

[If a criminal has been executed by hanging] his body may not remain suspended overnight ... because it is an insult to God (Deuteronomy 21:23).

Rashi explains that since man was created in the image of God, anything that disparages man is disparaging God as well.

Chilul Hashem, bringing disgrace to the Divine Name, is one of the greatest sins in the Torah. The opposite of chilul Hashem is kiddush Hashem, sanctifying the Divine Name. While this topic has several dimensions to it, there is a living kiddush Hashem which occurs when a Jew behaves in a manner that merits the respect and admiration of other people, who thereby respect the Torah of Israel.

What is chilul Hashem? One Talmudic author stated, "It is when I buy meat from the butcher and delay paying him" (Yoma 86a). To cause someone to say that a Torah scholar is anything less than scrupulous in meeting his obligations is to cause people to lose respect for the Torah.

Suppose someone offers us a business deal of questionable legality. Is the personal gain worth the possible dishonor that we bring not only upon ourselves, but on our nation? If our personal reputation is ours to handle in whatever way we please, shouldn't we handle the reputation of our nation and the God we represent with maximum care?

Jews have given so much, even their lives, for kiddush Hashem. Can we not forego a few dollars to avoid chilul Hashem?

Today I shall...

be scrupulous in all my transactions and relationships to avoid the possibility of bringing dishonor to my God and people.

With stories and insights,
Rabbi Twerski's new book Twerski on Machzor makes Rosh Hashanah prayers more meaningful. Click here to order...